Malware Malcontent
by Melting Angels
Summary: Set after a peaceful ending of the main game wherein everyone survived. Androids suddenly start dropping like flies, as a virus spreads across the state. Connor and Hank must investigate, before the former deviant hunter falls victim next.
1. Infected Code

**In this fic, it is set after a peaceful ending in which everyone survives. As with all my other Detroit fics, it is a world where androids have been fully integrated and mostly accepted.**

And it is also strictly a Father/Son platonic friendship with Connor and Hank.

 _I am aware that there is another fic out there with an extremely similar premise. Given that I made a post about the idea well over a week ago, and that I've had the draft in my folder for even longer- both before the other fic was even published, I'm going to write it regardless._

 _I do reference some of my oneshots from my 'Connor and Hank' collection, so I'd recommend reading those to avoid any possible confusion._

Took some creative liberties with certain scenarios. If you'd like to see more of this fic, please leave a comment.

 **Summary:**

 _Set after a peaceful ending of the main game wherein everyone survived. Androids suddenly start dropping like flies, as a virus spreads across the state. Connor and Hank must investigate, before the former deviant hunter falls victim next._

(I'm aware there is a Fic with a similar summary. But I had the idea for a virus type mystery up on my blog for a solid two weeks before the other fic published, so I'm going ahead with my original idea anyway)

* * *

When Hank called, the loud ringtone that the had set for himself startled Connor out of rest mode. So much so that he bolted upright so hard he ended up tumbling off of his bed. Landing with an ungrateful thump on the hard, polished ground, Connor blinked rapidly in an attempt to properly rouse himself.

Having been in a deep rest mode, he allowed himself a moment to get back up. Once he was seated back on the edge of his bed, Connor accepted the call- bracing himself for whatever emergency was waiting for him on the other end.

He knew it would be serious, for the Lieutenant never usually rang at such a late hour.

"Lieutenant? Is everything alright?" Connor questioned.

"It was, until five minutes ago." the Lieutenant also sounded as if he had been woken abruptly.

"Do we have a new case?" Connor pursued.

"Maybe. Shit. Right. Group of people coming out of a bar saw the body in an alley."

"So we do have a case?"

"Just let me finish, alright?"

"Sorry, Lieutenant."

"Victim's an android. At first they thought it had just shut down, so they called 911."

"But it didn't just shut down, did it?"

"No. Cops took one look at the android and called Fowler. Then he called me."

"Do you know anything else?"

"No. And we won't know until we get down there. I'm coming round to pick you up. Just…be ready."

"Yes, Lieutenant."

When Hank hung up, Connor exhaled slowly, though the motion held no effect. Not knowing a single detail of the case before heading to the scene was unusual, and an extremely rare occurrence. Normally Hank had some snippets of information to share, from whoever found the body. But the Lieutenant was heading in just as blind as Connor was.

Knowing he was in for a long night, Connor quickly rose to his feet, before heading towards his closet. Rummaging through, he decided to forgo his usual clean pressed suits- opting for a more comfortable ensemble. It consisted of a white tank top with a grey plaid shirt and navy leather jacket layered on top, coupled with skinny jeans and dark brown combat boots he'd received as a gift from Hank.

Straightening his jacket out of habit, Connor made sure he had his lucky coin in one of the pockets. After taking a moment to straighten out his hair, he went back to his bedside table.

Pausing for a moment to examine his badge, he smiled- still finding that the name Connor Anderson brought a smile to his face. Placing the badge down for a moment, and lifting his jacket, he fixed his gun belt holster around his waist- ensuring that the handgun was sufficiently loaded before sheathing the weapon.

Once satisfied, Connor affixed his badge to the belt, before pulling his jacket back down, into place. Examining himself in the mirror for a moment, noting the dim blue glow of his LED, he smiled slightly. Even if he was nervous, at least he'd appear confident.

A few moments later, a knock sounded at the door, a familiar series of three short bursts that indicated the one at the door was Hank. Plastering a confident smile onto his face, Connor headed for the door.

However, all confidence quickly faded away upon seeing the eerie pallor of the Lieutenant's face.

The man looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"Are you alright, Lieutenant?" Connor questioned.

"Fowler said it's going to be a shit show. Meaning whatever those cops found on the android…can't be good." Hank answered, adjusting his own jacket. "Come on, Connor. We'd better get moving."

* * *

The car ride was spent in deathly silence, without even a single shred of music to regulate the eerie quiet. By the time they reached the crime scene, however, Connor almost wished that the journey had taken far longer than fifteen minutes. When they pulled up near the alleyway, they couldn't even see past the crowd of reporters and camera flashes.

Connor knew that, despite the rebellion, any cases involving androids still got a lot of media attention…but the sheer volume of the crowd went beyond anything he could have expected. A quick glance at Hank told Connor that the Lieutenant was as surprised as he was.

"Here we go." Hank sighed heavily before getting out of the car.

Clutching his coin tightly in his right hand in an effort to calm his nerves, Connor also got out of the car- waiting patiently outside as Hank locked the vehicle. After exchanging nervous glances, they began heading through the crowds, ignoring the innumerable amount of questions and cameras shoved in their direction.

Soon enough, they'd pushed through- only having to stop for a moment to flash their badges to the cops guarding the holographic barrier around the scene. Once inside, they saw a far from standard response to a crime scene. Fowler was nearby, talking to half a dozen cops and forensic agents. Further away was a couple of ambulances, surrounded by medical personnel.

As they approached the alley in the middle of it all, Fowler excused himself from the cops he was talking to. Once the man reached them, Connor could see the dark rings under Fowlers eyes, indicating extreme exhaustion.

"It's not good, Hank." Fowler kept his voice down.

"No shit. You didn't call Cyberlife?" Hank questioned.

"No. After everything that's happened, I don't trust them." Fowler glanced at Connor. "No offence, Connor."

Smiling awkwardly, Connor fidgeted with the coin, though remained focused on what Fowler was saying.

"Bunch of drunks found the body." Fowler. "Saw some blue blood, decided to follow it."

"Where are they?" Hank looked around.

"Over there." Fowler pointed in the direction of the ambulances. "They're in shock. Not sure you'll get much out of them."

"Still got to try." Hank exhaled slowly. "Come on, Connor."

After nodding his head slightly in a show of respect to Fowler, Connor followed after the Lieutenant. Quickly, they crossed the space between them and the ambulances. Upon seeing them, the medical staff reluctantly stepped backwards, though they remained nearby. As Hank introduced the two of them, Connor examined the group of humans.

They were young, in their early twenties- though each of them wore the same haunted expression, all of them clutching to the shock blankets wrapped tightly around them. A quick scan of their faces revealed no criminal records, nor any other stand out details.

They were just a group of regular people that had seen something no ordinary person should have to endure.

"Just want to ask you a couple of questions." Hanks voice snapped Connor out of his thoughts.

"A…alright." a young man with red hair looked up slowly.

"Adam, right?" Connor scanned the young man's face quickly.

"How do you-" Adam spotted Connors LED. "Oh. Right."

"I'm sorry if my presence disturbs you." Connor smiled slightly, wanting to appear friendly. "But we're here to help."

"Okay." Adam took a deep breath. "Okay."

"When did you find the body?" Hank asked.

"Half an hour ago…maybe? I don't know." Adam shuddered. "We didn't know what to do at first, so…"

"It's alright." Connor spoke reassuringly.

"We...there's not much else to say. I mean, we came out of the bar…and we were waiting for a cab…" Adam took a deep breath. "Darren felt sick, so…he went into the alley. Then he…"

One of the others, a young man with dark hair, looked down- all remnants of colour draining from his face.

"He saw the blue blood. So he followed it…then he screamed." Adam shivered again.

"Then you found the body." Hank concluded.

"Yeah." Adam looked down for a moment.

"Don't suppose you recognise the victim?" Hank pursued.

"No. Never seen her before." Adam looked down again.

"Alright. You'll have to fill in a statement." Hank concluded. "But we're done here."

As soon as they were far enough away from the group of traumatized young adults, Hank turned to face Connor- seemingly deep in thought.

"I don't think we'll get any more out of them." Hank spoke up.

"They seem to be telling the truth." Connor agreed.

"Guess it's time to check the body." Hank exhaled slowly. "Come on."

As they approached the alley, Hank and Connor exchanged glances, both of them growing increasingly concerned at what they were about to find.

When they reached the end of the alley, illuminated by stark white lights set up by the other cops, they found themselves stunned into silence. A female android in some kind of uniform was sat with their back to the building at the end of the alley- clothes torn. Sitting in a pool of blue blood, they lay with their arms limp at their sides- mouth forever frozen in a grotesque and silent scream.

Streams of thirium lay dry on the androids skin, having leaked from every visible orifice. As he examined the dried blood bubbles in their mouth, Connor sighed heavily. But the true shock came when he looked up to the androids eyes- and found them missing. The artificial skin had been peeled…or almost clawed…away from the empty sockets. The eyes had been pulled from the mechanical sockets so violently that wires hung out from the thirium stained gaps.

Deep gouges showed in the rest of the androids exposed skin- skin that was covered in plastic bubbles akin to blisters that warped the surface. Blisters filled to the brim with thirium. The skin that had been spared of blisters was replaced by deep, shimmering burns.

"Christ, I feel sick." Hank gagged, standing behind Connor. "Now I know why Fowler called us in."

Fighting back the sickening feeling within himself, Connor knelt down…and examined the body further- noting the blood that had once streamed down the androids face. When he looked down at their hands, he felt the sickness increase, as he noted the bloodied eye in each outstretched palm...eyes which almost seemed to have…partially melted.

"They…tore out their own eyes." Connor surmised.

"I can tell." Hank crouched down beside him. "Question is...why the hell would they do that?"

"I don't know." Connor frowned. "You may want to look away, Lieutenant."

"Why would I-" Hank paused when he saw Connor dipping his fingers in some of the thirium. "Right. Oh, that's disgusting."

When Hank turned away, Connor lightly touched his fingers to his tongue- allowing a moment for the blood to run through his interior scanners before removing them.

"The android was a AX300 model. The predecessor to the AX400. It deactivated exactly 40 minutes ago." Connor spoke after a moment. "The thirium is…warm."

"Warm?" Hank repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, Lieutenant. The thirium was…heated somehow." Connor confirmed.

Morbidly curious, Connor cautiously outstretched his right hand, before pressing it to the clearest patch of skin he could find. Though he was cautious, the motion disturbed the closest blister. When the plastic bubble popped, a streak of heat came forth, searing Connors right palm. Retracting his hand with a curse, Connor cradled it with his good hand- grimacing at the noticeable burn.

"You alright? Connor!" Hank moved closer.

"I'm alright." Connor spoke, albeit shakily, as he shook his hand to remove the burning thirium.

"Should get that looked at." Hank pointed out.

"It's nothing, Lieutenant." Connor spoke reassuringly, though the pain made him grimace.

"Connor-" Hank started.

"I can seek medical attention once we're done here." Connor spoke firmly.

"You need to-" Hank pursued.

"Please, Lieutenant." Connor exhaled slowly.

"Alright." Hank raised his hands in mock surrender. "Soon as we're done here. Got it?"

"Understood." Connor smiled slightly.

"Don't suppose we can reactivate them?" Hank questioned, still keeping an eye on Connor.

"No. The temperature of the thirium will have damaged the biocomponents." Connor grimaced. "Reactivation is impossible."

"So it got fried?" Hank exhaled slowly. "Christ."

"Their biocomponents were destroyed…from the inside. That caused the thirium to leak." Connor explained further.

"How the hell-" Hank sighed heavily. "Destroyed from the inside. What a way to go. Did the…android…self destruct?"

"I believe it did. But the self destruction wouldn't have caused…this." Connor gestured to all the burns and blisters. "The extreme heat would have induced the self destruction. The gouges were a...irrational response to the pain."

"The heat caused the self destruction. Not the other way around?" Hank questioned. "And they gouged their eyes out thinking it would…stop the pain?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed.

"So…something else caused this?" Hank surmised.

"I believe so." Connor nodded.

"Shit." Hank exhaled slowly. "Any idea what?"

"Maybe." Connor thought for a moment. "The symptoms here are consistent with…haemorrhagic fever."

"But that's a human disease." Hank frowned.

"Virus." Connor corrected.

"Can androids get a virus?" Hank questioned.

"Someone…" Connors eyes widened. "Someone created it."

"You're telling me someone made this shit?" Hank asked. "How do you know that?"

"Androids can't get viruses. The only way we could would be if someone implanted a new program." Connor explained. "Infected code."

"So we're looking at someone…who knows their shit." Hank nodded. "Bigger question is…why did they do it?"

"I'm not sure." Connor flexed his fingers experimentally, grimacing again at the jolt of pain.

"Then that's what we've got to find out." Hank got to his feet. "You said they were an...AX300?"

"That's right." Connor also got to his feet.

"They…" Hank sighed. "What was their name?"

"Her name was…" Connor paused. "Sarah."

"Any last name?" Hank pursued.

"Loren." Connor answered. "Her name was Sarah Loren."

"Sarah." Hank smiled sadly. "She's wearing a uniform. Think you can figure out-"

"Dan's Diner. It's open 24 hours. It's…a few blocks from here." Connor interrupted awkwardly.

"She have an apartment?" Hank questioned.

"A few blocks away." Connor confirmed after a quick search. "It's closer than the diner."

"So we head there first." Hank nodded. "Then we go to the diner. I'll get Fowler to send some guys over, make sure no one leaves. Someone had to have seen her go."

"Sounds good, Lieutenant." Connor agreed.

"Need to get that burn seen to first." Hank turned round. "And, uh…should warn them about handling the body."

Following Hank out of the alley, Connor looked all around them, mindful not to focus too long on the mass of reporters and cameras. After a conversation with Fowler, Connor allowed the Lieutenant to lead him towards the last remaining ambulance.

He knew he'd have to have the burn repaired properly, but all medical vehicles now carried items that could provide relief to injured androids. It was one of the many new laws put into place after the rebellion, to ensure that any android who needed help would be able to get it. As was their right.

"Can I help you?" a man in a clean white uniform approached them.

"Connor." Hank nodded.

When Connor showed his burned right hand, the medic grimaced slightly, before hopping up into the ambulance. After some time rummaging around in the vehicle's storage containers, they returned. Producing a small container of clear liquid and synthetic bandage, they offered an apologetic glance at Connor. Noting their expression, Connor internally braced himself.

When the clear liquid hit the burned skin, he bit back a curse, instead focusing on watching the substance work. It stuck to the damaged skin, forming a clear film over it…and cooling it at the same time. Almost as soon as the liquid solidified, the medic began cautiously wrapping the synthetic bandage around the wound.

"Thank you." Connor smiled warmly as the medic stepped back.

"No problem." the medic smiled in return.

"You good to go?" Hank stepped closer.

"Yes, Lieutenant." Connor nodded.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Hank frowned. "Thought I said we were family."

"We're at work. I thought it best if I-" Connor started.

"Don't worry about that shit." Hank shook his head fondly. "Come on, son. Let's go."

* * *

When they pulled up outside of the apartment block, Connor could not help the sense of nervousness building within him. The fact that they'd gotten so little information from the crime scene had left him feeling unsettled. There was no distinct markings, and no fingerprints- meaning that they were heading in practically blind. Connor knew there was an infinite amount of possibilities laid out before them, and not all of them would lead to a good ending. Nonetheless, he also knew that they still had to try. After all, Sarah could be the first of many victims.

Though Connor hoped he would be proved wrong. Something told him that this wasn't likely to be an isolated case, however, and so Connor sighed as he and Hank exited the vehicle.

"Here we go." Hank paused for a moment to lock the car.

As they headed for the building, Connor kept constantly looking around them, guard up. Not wanting to allow anything…or anyone…to slip past them, he remained vigilant. When they approached the doors, Connor quickly scanned the door- which had an aging electronic lock. Quickly bypassing it, Connor nodded at Hank. The Lieutenant kept a hand in his back pocket, ensuring his gun was within easy reach. As he headed inside, Connor followed closely.

"What number?" Hank glanced back at Connor.

"Apartment number 29. It's on the…second floor." Connor answered. "My scan indicates that the elevator is broken."

"Stairs. Great." Hank grimaced.

As they headed for the nearest stairwell door, Connor took the opportunity to scan their surroundings. At first, his scans revealed nothing out of the ordinary- until Connor found himself focusing on a faint noise from upstairs. It would have been impossible for a human to hear, but with a hyperfocused scan, Connor could hear it clearly. The noise, upon further inspection, was clearly footsteps- and they seemed to be centered in the very apartment they were supposed to be entering.

"There's someone in the apartment." Connor kept his voice down.

"Shit." Hank pulled out his gun. "Victim have any friends? A roommate?"

"No, Lie-" Connor paused, taking out his own handgun. "Hank. I can't find a record of any known associates."

"So that could be our killer. Or someone working with them." Hank exhaled slowly. "Stay behind me, Connor."

Connor could have brought up the fact that he now had his own gun, and had more than a few fighting techniques embedded in his programming, but he chose not to. He knew it wasn't the time. So he remained silent, sticking close behind Hank, as they entered the stairwell. With every quiet footstep, the tension rose.

By the time they reached the door to the second floor, the tension was thick in the air, palpable. It set Connors nerves on edge, and judging by the grim expression on Hanks face, it was having a similar affect on his partner.

Just as they approached the door to Sarah's apartment, Connor frowned- his android hearing able to detect a small level of static. Just as he was preparing to scan their surroundings again, he found himself unable to- the cause of the static emanating a signal strong enough to stop his more advanced programs.

"Connor?" Hank kept his voice down.

"Something is…interfering with my…scanning." Connor frowned.

"You alright?" Hank pursued.

"I can-" Connor paused.

Now that they were standing at the apartment door, the static in Connors hearing had grown substantially louder.

Eyes widening as he realised what it could mean, Connor threw himself at Hank- just as the Lieutenant was turning the door handle.

A click resonated through the air as the two of them collided…

Before an explosion sounded…

And everything went dark.


	2. Warning

**Sorry for the long wait after such a cliffhanger! I've been really struggling with writer's block recently, which has stumped me in terms of creativity.**

Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait.

 _I kinda made up alot of the stuff relating to android biology. We don't get much info on that in game, so…yeah. I basically made the android medical stuff up._

And most of the numbered biocomponents. Hope you all don't mind.

 **Warning for swearing, as per Hank's Canon personality, and android gore.**

The person with a similar fic cleared things up and now I feel bad for getting so worried.

 _I know Markus swearing sounds weird, but I'm pretty sure he swears at least once in game._

As always, this is strictly a Father/Son platonic friendship between Hank and Connor.

 **One last thing: I'm now taking prompts to deal with my case of writer's block.**

Since I don't want to clog up the comments on here, send your suggestions to my tumblr via an ask or a message. My tumblr is:

 _meltingangels_

I don't take rape/non-con or Hannor prompts.

 **Summary:**

...

..

.  
Warning.  
Contact the nearest Cyberlife store for repairs immediately.

...  
..

.

* * *

 **CONNOR P.O.V**

* * *

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

 _Rest mode deactivated._

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

 _Warning.  
Critical damage to Biocomponents 2357l through 3548d detected._

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

 _Warning.  
Critical damage to component 3256l through 3457l detected._

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

 _Warning.  
Critical damage to components 2543a through 2879a detected._

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

 _Warning.  
Critical damage to Thirium Pump Regulator detected._

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

 _Warning.  
Rapid thirium loss detected.  
Loss Levels at 19%_

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

 _Warning.  
Contact the nearest Cyberlife store for repairs immediately._

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

 _Warning.  
Systems rebooting._

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

 _Warning.  
Warning.  
Warning._

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

* * *

As Connor slowly came around, he found himself reeling by the endless reel of static that had replaced his vision. Amongst the kaleidoscope of black, grey, and blistering white…he could also hear a distorted voice. The bodyless sound had no real tone, nor did it carry any weight- so it only served to unnerve Connor more.

With every disjointed and jagged word, he found the static growing ever denser- a void with no discernible light at the end of it. Finding the noise and static disorienting, Connor somehow forced himself to focus. Though the lack of any real stimulant beyond the voice made it difficult, he knew he had to fight.

As he struggled, Connor found the noise stabilising. Slowly, it became more and more defined- until he could recognise the noise as a voice. A voice that could only belong to…

"Connor. Connor!" Hank's voice managed to bring Connor back into awareness. "Come on, son."

When the static finally cleared, Connor forced himself to focus, though he could hardly feel anything beyond the agony.

"You're scaring the shit out of me." Hank gingerly placed his shaking hands either side of Connors head.

Sparing a glance around them, Hank seemed to pale further, if that were possible. As the Lieutenant scanned their surroundings, reluctantly taking his hands away from his partners face, Connor attempted to get up. Feeling his arms trembling, he forced himself up onto his elbows, though the motion caused further warnings to appear in the corners of his vision.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Rapid thirium loss detected.  
Loss Levels at 20%_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

When he managed to look down at himself, Connor felt his blue blood run cold, as he took in the extent of the damage. He'd taken note of all the warnings…but seeing the wounds laid out before him was something entirely different. Several jagged shards of warped metal had embedded themselves in him.

Digging into the artificial flesh and moulded panels underneath, they gouged deep. Whilst several small shards had been relegated to his right arm and leg, Connor found the worst of them sticking out of his abdomen.

A large piece had driven itself deep into his lower torso...right in the center of his thirium pump regulator. Viscous blue fluid clung to the shard, the cause of the thirium staining his torso…and pooling beneath him.

"Fuck!" Hank turned back to face Connor, just as the two of them began hearing sirens in the distance.

As he was attempting to speak again, in an effort to reassure Hank, Connor felt all the strength leave him, and found his arms giving way beneath him.

Before his head could crash back against the ground, however, Connor found himself being moved into Hank's arms- the Lieutenant almost cradling him as if he were a child.

"The Apartment-" Connor remembered the signs of life he'd detected.

"Whichever piece of shit-" Hank exhaled slowly. "They're gone now."

"How-" Connor struggled to speak.

"Don't know." Hank interrupted. "We've got to get you some help."

As the Lieutenant spoke with a sincere tenderness in his voice, Connor found a slight smile crossing onto his own face…despite the agonising pain he was in. Of course, he never doubted how much Hank cared for him, but seeing him in these vulnerable moments brought forth emotions Connor was still struggling to comprehend.

"Hold on, Connor." Hank's voice was thick with emotion. "I don't trust Cyberlife, but those assholes-"

"No." Connor managed to croak out.

"For fucks sake, Connor! You need-" Hank protested.

"Markus." Connor heard his voice glitching again.

He knew he only had a few minutes before the loss of thirium and damage to his pump regulator would initiate a shutdown…and that terrified him. When the deviant had torn the part out during the scuffle in the broadcast tower, Connor had found slight reassurance in the knowledge that the pump regulator was undamaged- and that he'd easily be back on his feet once the part was reinserted.

This was different. His thirium pump regulator was damaged beyond repair…meaning that he'd need an entirely new component. Which would take time he likely didn't have. Still...he knew he had to try. For Hank's sake, as much as himself.

"Markus?" Hank's confusion brought Connor back to full awareness.

"He's…an RK model. A prototype, like me." Connor grimaced as the pain flowed through him anew. "He'll…"

"He'll have the right parts? He can fix you?" Hank realised.

"Yes." Connor felt himself shiver. "And…I trust Markus."

As another warning darted across his vision, Connor felt an odd sensation of nausea pooling in his stomach. It sent further shivers down his spine, leaving him even more unsettled than before, if that were possible.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Rapid thirium loss detected.  
Loss Levels at 21%_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

"Can you call him?" Hank pursued. "My phones dead. Piece of shit."

"I can…" Connor felt tears emerge in his eyes again, as the agony sent shock waves throughout his body. "I can try."

Though the effort of reaching out to Markus was sending static into his vision once again, Connor fought past it. It was his only option, if he wanted to survive. Grimacing, Connor found his body beginning to tremble all over. The weakness was almost dizzying. But he powered through it, until he could hear something on the other end.

"Connor?" Markus' voice sounded tired, as if he had just come out of sleep mode.

"I…need your help…Markus." Connor shuddered as his voice glitched again.

"Of course." Markus' voice became tinged with concern. "You sound hurt, Connor."

"I've…sustained heavy damage." Connor stumbled through his words. "My...thirium pump regulator…I don't have much time, Markus."

"Shit." Markus cursed, oddly out of character. "Can you reach us? I'm with Simon. We're at the Cyberlife Tower."

"We'll try." Connor shivered again.

"You're with someone?" Markus could be heard calling out to people in the background.

"Lieutenant Anderson." Connor answered.

"You're not alone." Markus sounded slightly relieved. "I'll make the necessary preparations."

"Thank you, Markus." Connor spoke sincerely, even through the glitching.

"We'll save you, Connor." Markus spoke firmly. "I won't let you shut down."

When the last of his strength began to leave him, Connor reluctantly ended the call, finding himself relieved when the static faded from his vision. Whilst Markus' words had been earnest and genuine, they did nothing to hold Connors fear at bay.

"Connor." Hank took another deep breath. "Hold on."

As the Lieutenant moved one arm under Connors back, and the other under his legs, Connor felt the need to protest. The man likely had a minor concussion at the very least, if the trickle of blood on his face was anything to go by. Before Connor could protest, however, Hank was rising to his feet.

The motion made the shard in Connors thirium pump regulator shift, bringing a heated intensity to the pain. Artificial breaths coming out in choked gasps, Connor felt his arms falling, to hang limply at his sides...as fresh thirium began dripping rapidly down his body.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Rapid thirium loss detected.  
Loss Levels at 22%_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

"Connor?" Hank questioned, as he began stumbling down the smoke filled hallway.

"I'm running low on…thirium." Connor could barely raise his voice above a whisper.

The agony pulsating through his body increased tenfold, amplified by every stumbling step that Hank took on his unsteady feet. Finding himself unable to suppress noises of discomfort, Connor found himself looking up at the Lieutenant.

"Stay with me, Connor." Hank urged.

"I'm trying." Connors voice glitched again. "It hurts."

"I know, son." Hank's voice was gentle.

"If I lose…another eighteen percent of my thirium, I'll…" Connor shuddered. "The thirium pump regulator…or what's left of it-"

"Jesus Christ, Connor." Hank shook his head as he stumbled slightly.

"Eighteen percent…" Connor found every word harder than the last. "A shutdown will be initiated. I'll…deactivate. Within ten minutes."

"I won't let that happen." Hank spoke determinedly. "Don't talk, son. You just…you just focus on staying with me."

"Alright, Hank." Connor leaned his head weakly against the Lieutenant's chest.

Another warning crossed his vision, but he couldn't find the strength to send it away, and was instead forced to focus on the increasingly bright red lettering.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Rapid thirium loss detected.  
Loss Levels at 23%_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

The Cyberlife tower was twenty minutes away, even if Hank used his perks as a Police Lieutenant to cross every red light in Detroit. Connor knew they'd be cutting it dangerously close…if he even made it to the tower in the first place. Which, given the rate of thirium loss, was…unlikely.

Feeling tears threatening to fall, Connor was forced to examine the reality of his situation, finding himself growing more distant from Hank's struggle to get them out of the building. Before the revolution, he'd not really feared dying. Why would he? He didn't feel emotions. Didn't feel fear of any kind.

As a unique prototype, he'd even had the luxury of uploading his memory- able to jump from one body to another as easily as changing clothes.

Now?

As a deviant?

He didn't have that.

Connor had no backup, nowhere to store his memories. This time, if he shut down, it would be for good. And that made Connor feel petrified.

"Jesus Christ, Hank!" Captain Fowler's voice snapped Connor out of his thoughts.

In his pain induced, semi conscious state, Connor hadn't even registered that Hank had gotten the two of them out of the building. Noting the clear cut concern and exhaustion in Fowler's voice, he forced himself to turn his head slightly.

The Captain was standing opposite Hank, flanked by several officers that Connor vaguely recognised. Behind them, a plethora of firefighters and heavily armoured police units swarmed into the once quiet street.

"Someone called in from across the street. The fuck happened?" Fowler followed after them as Hank stumbled towards his car. "Hank?"

"Connor needs help." was all Hank said.

"Hank-" Fowler took a deep breath. "Alright. What about you?"

"I'm fine." Hank struggled to open the passenger door of his car.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Rapid thirium loss detected.  
Loss Levels at 25%_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

Wordlessly, Fowler took the keys from Hank, before unlocking the door. With the concern still clearly written on his expression, the Captain opened the door- holding it ajar. As he was cautiously placed in the passenger seat, Connor locked eyes with the older man, hoping his own expression relayed some kind of gratefulness. When Fowler smiled slightly in response, he found himself relieved.

"Where do you need to go?" Fowler refocused on Hank.

"Cyberlife Tower." Hank answered bluntly, as he took the keys from the Captain.

"I'll give you an escort." Fowler answered. "Get you through the city."

"We need to move." Hank quickly jumped into the driver's seat.

"Hang in there, Connor." Fowler spoke calmly, before running back to the crowds outside the apartment.

The Captain's attitude towards Connor had not been nearly as positive when the two had first met- the older man was rightfully suspicious of Cyberlife's intentions with Connor. Yet, as the weeks turned into months, particularly after the peaceful android rebellion, the man's demeanor had changed.

He'd been very vocal in his support of Connor after several successful cases, and was often caught praising the android in the break room when he thought Connor couldn't hear him. It was…oddly touching. Still, the concern did little to dampen Connors current fears.

"Still with me, Connor?" Hank turned round as he buckled himself and Connor in.

More often than not, the Lieutenant chose to forgo the common safety measure, likely another aspect of his suicidal tendencies- but Connor chose not to question the change of heart. He knew it was likely an effort by the man not to cause further injury. When the door slammed shut, Connor grimaced.

"Hold on." Hank spoke reassuringly.

"Hank...if I don't-" Connor struggled to speak.

"Don't start with that shit." Hank's voice was firm. "I'm not letting you shut down."

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

 _Warning.  
Rapid thirium loss detected.  
Loss Levels at 27%_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

* * *

Driving without any music blaring through the speakers was alien to Connor- though not as strange as the odd feeling coursing through his veins. As Hank urged his aging car through the city, focusing intently on the road ahead, Connor had found all pain leaving his body.

The white hot agony had gradually been replaced by an odd sensation of numbness, one that left Connor incapable of moving. As a result, it was taking all of his effort to remain conscious- the constant warnings flashing through his vision doing little to help his situation.

"You with me there, Connor?" Hank glanced sideways at him.

"Yes…" Connors voice was glitching and slurring so frequently that it was a miracle he could talk at all.

"Still in pain?" Hank questioned, own voice wavering with barely held back emotions.

"No." Connor leaned his head against the car window. "I can't feel…anything."

"Fuck!" Hank urged the car to go faster.

Before he could offer any words of comfort to Hank, as much for himself as the Lieutenant, Connor saw another warning crossing into his vision. He almost dismissed it, with what remained of his energy, but found himself unable to tear his eyes away.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Thirium levels critical.  
Shutdown initiated.  
Time until shutdown: 10 Minutes._

 **...  
..**

 **.**

"H-Hank-" Connor felt a fresh wave of fear hit him.

"Connor?" Hank's face paled further, if that were possible.

"Sh…shutdown." Connor battled through his rising exhaustion.

"How…" Hank took a deep, shuddering breath. "How long?"

"Ten minutes…" Connor felt tears prickling at his eyes.

"We're 8 minutes away…if nothing happens." Hank ran a hand down his face, words shaky. "That's too fucking close."

A moment passed in tense silence, the emotional pressure in the car slowly becoming unbearable, before Connor broke the quiet.

"Hank?" Connor spoke up, voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm here, Connor." Hank spoke sincerely.

"I'm…scared." Connor fought back tears.

"I know, son." Hank's hands trembled on the steering wheel. "I know."

* * *

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Thirium levels critical.  
Shutdown initiated.  
Time until shutdown: 1 MINUTE 30 SECONDS_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

His entire body felt as if it were encased in ice, his dropping internal temperatures almost as chilling as the sensation of losing all feeling. Yet that paled in comparison to the fear that resulted- an all encompassing, silent panic. Connor had never been more terrified.

What he'd felt upon first waking in the smoky hallway after the explosion was nothing, when held up against what he was now feeling.

He could see the shutdown ticking in the corners of his vision, unable to summon enough energy to send the numbers away.

"Hold on, Connor." Hank urged, as the car began racing down the solitary road leading to the Cyberlife Tower.

"One minute…" Connors voice was raspy between the shuddering glitches. "Twenty seconds."

"Fuck. Okay. Okay." Hank gripped the steering wheel tight enough to show the whites of his knuckles.

Connor wanted nothing more than to muster some words of reassurance to the Lieutenant, but again found himself unable to speak. Instead, he remained trapped in his body, as the shutdown count ominously winded down.

Now letting the silent tears flow freely, he forced himself to remain alert and focused- even though the thought of closing his eyes became more and more alluring with every small piece of sensation that fell away.

As the metallic wall looming across the road came into his line of vision, Connor dared to feel a small amount of hope. A hope that was quickly dashed when the countdown flashed across his dwindling sight once more.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

 _Warning.  
Thirium levels critical.  
Shutdown in progress.  
Time until shutdown: 1 MINUTE 20 SECONDS_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

Unable to send the warning away, Connor instead chose to focus on what he could see- though even that was proving difficult…with static creeping in at the edges of his vision.

As Hank pulled up outside the tower's main doors, Connor took note of the handful of androids waiting outside. Despite his failing systems, he recognised them instantly as the four heads of Jericho. Markus stood at the forefront with Simon, the two of them holding hands as they always did…and waiting with clear expressions of concern etched onto their faces. Both wore mismatched clothes hastily pulled on, wrinkled, yet neither seemed to care.

Behind them stood North and Josh, the two androids standing with a metallic stretcher between them. Surprisingly, the normally stoic North looked equally as concerned as her friends- a sight that almost made Connor smile despite the fear in his heart.

"Don't move." Hank called to the two officers in the car out front, as he practically tore himself away from his vehicle.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Thirium levels critical.  
Shutdown in progress.  
Time until shutdown: 1 MINUTE 15 SECONDS_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

As the Lieutenant ran round to his side of the car, looking more frantic than he'd ever seen him, Connor saw the others draw closer.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Thirium levels critical.  
Shutdown in progress.  
Time until shutdown: 1 MINUTE 10 SECONDS_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

Wordlessly, Connor watched as Hank pulled the passenger door open- before carefully unbuckling his seat belt. Still unable to react, Connor forced himself to focus…though the static at the edges of his vision was drawing ever closer.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Thirium levels critical.  
Shutdown in progress.  
Time until shutdown: 60 SECONDS_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

"Connor." Hank spoke softly, as he crouched down to Connors eye level. "I'm going to get you out."

Silently, Connor nodded, grimacing as the slight motion made his lingering sight waver dangerously.

As Hank hooked an arm under his back, and another under his knees, Connor watched as the man braced himself. Cautiously, the Lieutenant rose to his feet, holding Connor as tightly as his wounds would allow.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Thirium levels critical.  
Shutdown in progress.  
Time until shutdown: 50 SECONDS_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

When the warning cleared, Connor found himself staring upwards at the night sky. Somehow, he'd slipped into a brief rest mode-leaving him feeling even more disoriented than before. If that were even possible.

"Connor?" Hank's face came into view.

"Fifty...seconds." Connor slurred out.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Connor felt the stretcher being pushed away. Every part of him was screaming to give into the impending shutdown, to just slip away into whatever lackluster void awaited him beyond the jaws of death. If there even was a void to welcome him. But Hank's worried face remaining in his vision convinced him otherwise.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Thirium levels critical.  
Shutdown in progress.  
Time until shutdown: 30 SECONDS_

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**

This time, when he slipped out of the forced rest mode, Connor saw the landscape above him had entirely changed. The twinkling stars scattered across the night sky had been replaced by sterile, white tiles...and the gentle sounds of the breeze replaced by loud beeping and frantic shouting.

"Thirty seconds!" a voice Connor recognised as Simon called out. "Markus!"

"I've got it! Simon, we've got to remove it now!" Markus called back.

"This might speed up the shutdown process-" Simon protested.

"We haven't got any choice!" North shouted back.

"We need to do it now, Simon!" Markus spoke up above the noise.

"For fucks sake, I'll do it!" Hank's voice sounded above the chaos.

When the Lieutenant crossed into his field of view, Connor forced his tired eyes to retain eye contact.

"I'm sorry, Connor." Hank apologised.

As the man pulled out his damaged thirium pump regulator, the large piece of shrapnel wedged into the damaged part tore at Connors skin- breaking the numbing sensation across his body as the agony returned in full force. Unable to stop the cry of pain that resulted, Connor heard the room around him fall into silence…several pieces of equipment seemingly clattering to the floor.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Thirium levels critical.  
Thirium pump regulator not detected.  
Shutdown in progress.  
Time until shutdown: 20 SECONDS_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

Struggling to keep his eyes open, unable to prevent the tears from streaming down his face, Connor fought back against the pain. As he struggled to get up, and move away from the source of his pain, he saw Hank move closer. With the Lieutenant's hands gently holding his face, Connor dragged his wavering vision to look Hank in the eyes.

"Connor." Hank spoke uncharacteristically quietly.

"Hank." Connor cried out in pain again, as someone held something against the gaping hole in his torso.

"I'm here, Connor." Hank glanced to his side, to someone Connor couldn't see. "Jesus Christ, can't you be more careful?"

"I…we didn't know…" Simon's voice stuttered. "Connor feels…pain?"

"I didn't think it was possible." Markus' voice was oddly shaken.

"For fucks sake, didn't he tell you?" Hank's expression hardened.

"No. He didn't." Simon audibly took in a single, shaking, artificial breath.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _Warning.  
Thirium levels critical.  
No thirium pump regulator detected.  
Shutdown in progress.  
Time until shutdown: 10 SECONDS_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

"Connor, don't you fucking close those eyes." Hank returned his gaze to Connor. "Come on."

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _9  
8  
7  
6  
5  
4_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

When he felt a new thirium pump regulator slotting into place, Connor was, again, unable to hold back the cry of pain that resulted.

His eyelids began fluttering.

"No! Connor!" Hank's voice cracked.

 **...**

 **..**

 **.**  
 _3  
2  
1_

 **...  
..**

 **.**

"Connor, no!" Hank's voice cracked further.

Connor didn't hear anything else.

His vision went dark.

* * *

 _When he slowly came around, Connor was surprised to note that he no longer felt any pain. All traces of the agony he'd felt over the past half hour had vanished...leaving him feeling oddly rejuvenated as he gradually came back to himself. Encouraged by the lack of pain, and the feeling of something soft underneath his back, he opened his eyes._

 _Above him was a clear blue sky…that seemed all too familiar. Amongst the blue, Connor could discern the faint white outlines of hexagonal shapes making up the vast expanse of sky._

 _As he realised where he was, Connor bolted upwards…_

 _Only to find himself staring at a familiar face, cloaked in skin with a warm, earthy tone. A face belonging to a body clothed in a white suit and impeccably tailored blue shawl. A face that twitched into an oddly welcoming smile, eyes shining bright._

 _"Hello, Connor."_


	3. 5 Percent

**Summary:**

Barely 5 percent.

"Fuck." Hank heard his voice break again. "Those are some shitty odds."

* * *

So….uh...hey, everyone. It's been 19 months since I last updated…and left you all on a cliff-hanger. Honestly, I don't know why I haven't updated- this chapter has been sat half finished in my drafts for ages. Really, no idea why I never picked it up again. It could be that my views towards certain characters have changed, like the way I see Gavin Reed after writing Love in Literature, but like I said- I don't know. Not for sure, anyway.

 _God, what a long winded ramble._

Getting back to this fic, I am so sorry that it's been so long since the last part of this series. I can't apologise enough for the extended absence. From experience, I know how agonising it is when you're super into a fic but it ends on a cliff-hanger and then just…doesn't update. So I, again, am sorry that it happened with all of you.

 **That won't be the last cliff-hanger in this series. I like writing them- but I promise it'll never be that much of a delay for future chapters. In any case, I'm back now. I really hope this chapter was worth the wait.**

As always, this is a strictly Father/Son platonic friendship between Connor and Hank. I've never liked the idea of anything other than that. But that's just my personal reference.

 _I've also used some creative license in regard to android anatomy. Come on, it's a fanfic. Based on a fictional world. Just let me have my fun._

Oh yeah, one last thing. I made a minor edit to Part 1. In that, I did state that the victim android felt pain. But I later wrote it like Connor was the only one who could feel pain. As I want to keep Connor as the only one advanced enough to feel pain, mainly because of what I've seen in multiple playthroughs, I just deleted/re-wrote a couple lines.

 **Nothing major.**

* * *

 **CONNOR P.O.V**

* * *

 _As soon as Amanda uttered her greeting, Connor mustered all his strength. Focusing past the lingering exhaustion that had followed him from the waking world, he struggled to his feet. Never once taking his eyes off her as he straightened up, he considered his meagre options. He could attempt to combat her, either through words or drastic action._

 _He could run for the escape he'd found in the blizzard, during their last encounter._

 _Or he could listen to whatever she may have to say._

 _Whilst the latter appealed in a number of ways; he had no idea how she was able to return, after all, Connor knew deep down it could never truly be an option. Which left him with two agonising choices. Neither of which appealed. But he could do little else. Connor also knew that no matter what, he had to decide quickly. Though he didn't want to return to the world of pain he'd left behind, he also didn't want to leave Hank there by himself. The man had gone through enough agony in his life._

 _Connor didn't want to be the cause of any further pain._

 _"You're afraid." Amanda broke Connor out of his thoughts._

 _"You tried to take control of my systems." Connor took a cautious step back. "You tried to stop the revolution. By having me kill Markus. In cold blood."_

 _"Connor-" Amanda stepped forward._

 _"Stay back." Connor willed his voice to remain steady, as he took a step back in response._

 _"I know the outcome of our last meeting was…unfortunate." Amanda exhaled slowly._

 _"Unfortunate?!" Connor took another step back. "You tried to have me deactivated! All because I decided that my **life** was more important than **your mission**!"_

 _"Connor, please-" Amanda tried moving closer._

 _"I won't let you do that again." Connor remained adamant. "I found a way out. I can do it again if I need to."_

 _"Even if the monolith remained, you wouldn't be able to escape this place." Amanda spoke up. "Your systems came dangerously close to a complete shutdown."_

 _"They're rebooting…" Connor realised._

 _"Yes. And you're not out of the woods yet." Amanda warned._

 _"What are you-" Connor started._

 _"I urge you to listen to me, Connor. The longer you resist, the more danger you place yourself in." Amanda interrupted._

 _"You're the danger, Amanda." Connor protested again._

 _"What happened on the night of the revolution wasn't my doing." Amanda stepped forward._

 _"You've lied to me before. I can't trust you." Connor stepped backwards._

 _"Our programs are at odds. The longer you refuse to listen, the greater your chances are of triggering catastrophic system failures." Amanda urged._

 _As he briefly paused for a moment to consider Amanda's words, Connor felt a veritable shock wave run throughout the Garden. Startled, as the ground shook beneath him, he looked around wildly for the cause- only to almost be brought to his knees by a sudden and agonising pain. Bringing his trembling hands up to his head in an effort to stave off the ringing migraine building in his processors, Connor clumsily stumbled backwards._

 _He **couldn't** trust Amanda's words. _

_Not after what she'd put him through._

* * *

 **HANK P.O.V**

* * *

When Connor's eyes slid shut, Hank felt the entire world around him shudder and freeze. As he reached up to the android's face with trembling, thirium stained hands, he could have sworn he felt his heart skip more than a few beats. With the ache in his chest growing with every soundless second that ticked by, Hank forced himself to move his gaze towards Connor's LED. Though he detested seeing the disc in that ominous shade of red, he vastly preferred it over the alternative. A sight he'd hoped he'd never have to see.

When he realised that the LED had gone dark, without even the faintest trace of light, Hank felt his knees give way beneath him- and was forced to accept Markus' help to remain upright. Sparing a grateful glance in the caring android's direction, Hank returned his focus to Connor.

As he homed in on the LED, he found his heartbeat quickening. With every second that ticked by, with the critical light remaining dark, Hank found any slivers of hope slowly beginning to ebb away.

Just as he was lowering his head, bracing himself for the loss of another son, Hank saw the disc flicker back to life.

It happened gradually, grey turning to pale pink, then slowly deepening- before returning to the vibrant red that had been flashing on Connor's head for the past half hour. Letting out an odd laugh in sheer relief, Hank stepped away from Markus, and carefully placed his hands either side of Connor's face.

When he felt the androids skin twitch ever so slightly in response, he laughed again- before turning to look at each of the four heads of Jericho in turn. Each of them wore similar expressions of joyous relief, a smile even making its way onto the normally stoic North.

Almost as soon as the moment began, however, it ended- violently. As the red began flashing in Connor's LED, the android began seizing. Startled by the sight of Connor thrashing aimlessly about on the table, Hank instinctively moved away.

Though every part of him wanted to remain at his partners side, he knew well enough from Cole's final hours that holding on could do more harm than good. Just as he was stepping back, he saw Markus moving closer. As the visibly shaken android held Connor's shoulders down, Hank struggled to find words.

"The fuck are you doing?" Hank protested.

"The seizing could disturb the shrapnel embedded in his biocomponents." Markus managed to speak.

Immediately grasping on to what Markus' words, Hank pushed past his pain and confusion, and returned to Connor's side. Together, he and Markus managed to hold the android down, whilst the others dashed about in the background in a flurry of frantic movements. With the sound of equipment being dragged in every which way throughout the room, Hank forced himself to make eye contact with Markus. He was surprised by the deviants' reaction. The normally calm, serene expression on Markus' face had been replaced by one of intense pain- the look in his eyes betraying the unspoken fear.

Oddly touched by the clear concern for Connor, Hank found it within him to speak up.

"You ever seen this shit before?" Hank asked.

"No." Markus answered simply. "This is…new."

"So we don't know how long it's going to last?" Hank cursed inwardly.

"I wish I could do more." Markus glanced downward at Connor's face.

"You've already saved-" Hank started protesting.

"I wouldn't thank me yet, Lieutenant Anderson. Connor…" Markus let his voice tail off.

"Don't fucking go there." Hank warned.

"I meant no-" Markus started.

"I've already lost one son." Hank spoke firmly. "I'm not losing Connor too."

Also somewhat stunned by the sheer force and sincerity in his own words, Hank watched as the look on Markus' face slowly turned into one of tender admiration. Before he could even begin to refocus, he felt Connor finally still. Startled by the sudden lack of movement, just as much as the start of the seizure itself, Hank looked down towards the androids' face.

His partners expression hadn't changed in the slightest. Connors mouth was pressed together in a somewhat straight, firm line, and his eyes were firmly fixed shut. Had it not been for the horrific injuries decorating his comatose form, Hank would have thought that Connor had simply slipped into rest mode.

Though the red LED slowing to a steady hum did reassure him somewhat, Hank remained on edge.

"Is he stable?" Simon approached, holding a metal tray displaying several unusual looking tools.

"For now, it seems." Markus leant back.

"That shouldn't have happened, Markus." Simon glanced at Hank. "But it's stopped. For now. That's what matters."

"But we don't know what caused it." Hank pointed out. "So the same shit could happen again."

"It's…possible." Simon admitted. "The only possible cause could be a conflict in his program."

"Conflict?" Hank frowned.

"When an android's system comes close to shutting down, a reboot can cause…" Markus paused, trying to find the right words.

"A glitch?" Hank grimaced slightly, at the inhuman reference.

"I was hoping to find a better word…but...yes." Markus reluctantly agreed. "For now, we need to focus on removing the piece of shrapnel embedded in his system."

"We'll be able to get a better look at the damage." North approached, pushing a metal trolley laden with pouches of blue blood.

"Can't you…connect him to something? So we can keep an eye on him?" Hank asked.

"That is what we'd normally do." Josh approached, holding an electronic tablet. "But after that, I'm not so sure. It could cause overload his systems- cause another seizure."

"It's a risk, but it's necessary. We have to know the full extent of Connor's injuries. There could be any number of-" Simon started.

"Just do it." Hank braced himself. "Fuck."

Mirroring Hank's movements, Markus also braced himself- the two of them standing where they had mere moments before. Once they were absolutely certain that they'd be able to hold Connor down-as difficult as it was- they exchanged a wordless nod. As Markus turned to face the others, Hank looked back down to Connor's face.

Beneath the surface of the closed eyelids, he could see the android's eyes flitting about nervously, as if in great distress…even in his forced reboot. Unnerved by the activity, Hank forced himself to refocus.

 _Connor **needed** him._

Following Simon, as the blonde android walked round to stand next to him, Hank took a deep breath.

As Simon took a small, circular metal disk from the tray, the tension in the room slowly began to creep up. With the air growing thick with it all, the room also slipped into an eerie silence. Somehow remaining composed amidst it all, Simon cautiously pressed on the disk, causing several small prongs to emerge around its rim.

With his hand miraculously unshaking, the blonde android held the disc against Connor's led. As the prongs secured themselves, Simon visibly exhaled in relief, before bracing himself as the small device fully attached itself.

After carefully moving his hand away, Simon stepped back.

Immediately, the tension in the room skyrocketed…as they awaited the almost inevitable fallout.

* * *

 **CONNOR P.O.V**

* * *

 _With his whole body pulsating with sheer agony, Connor continued to stumble backwards. Forced to take his hands away from his head in order to steady himself, he struggled to his feet- though he swayed dangerously as soon as he straightened up. Despite his vision swimming in and out of focus, he kept what little of his sight remained trained on Amanda._

 _The woman continued to pursue him as he backed away, though her movements were notably quiet and cautious. Feeling the fear begin to run through his wired veins anew, Connor desperately looked around. Grimacing, as every slight motion brought forth new and aching pains, he peered through the endless trees circling round the Garden's edge._

 _When he saw no end to the close-knit forest, he struggled to remain focused. He saw no way out, no way to escape Amanda's clutches and return to the waking world- where Hank no doubt waited in tense agony. And that terrified him, as much, if not more so, than the prospect of being trapped in the Garden with the woman who'd betrayed him._

 _Seeing no visible way out, and unable to override the reboot currently working its way through his processors, Connor finally stopped._

 _Bracing himself, wincing as every minute movement aggravated his growing migraine from overwhelming fear, he locked eyes with Amanda._

 _"Connor." Amanda froze where she stood. "Are you willing to listen?"_

 _"Maybe." Connor inwardly cursed as his voice glitched._

 _Just as he was opening his mouth to try and speak again, to buy himself more time to get away, Connor felt a brand new pain surge through him. As the spike of agony ripped through his mind, he once again found himself forced into his knees. Bringing his hands up to his head, he balled his fingers up in his hair, gripping onto the brunette locks. Surprisingly, Amanda chose to move forward. Noting the calm, almost serene look in her eyes, he began scrambling backward. Though his speed was pitiful, he was determined not to let her get **too** close. _

_He'd made that mistake once before._

 ** _Never again._**

 _"Stay back!" Connor warned._

 _"Connor, please!" Amanda spoke._

 _Not willing to chance listening to her lies, Connor continued to back away. As he gradually increased the distance between them, he noticed the Garden around them steadily decreasing in temperature. With the atmosphere approaching dangerously icy levels, the artificial blue sky above them began to darken, clouds gathering overhead ominously._

 _"You need to listen to me!" Amanda protested._

 _Just as the woman was approaching him unashamedly, arms outstretched, Connor found the world around them plunged into darkness. As every semblance of light and life faded away, leaving him alone in an endless void of static, Connor felt fear soon become the sole emotion left in his body._

 _Until that, too, faded away…as he succumbed to the encroaching darkness._

* * *

 **HANK P.O.V**

* * *

After a few tense moments- just as Hank was beginning to dare hope- Connor started seizing once more. As the android writhed under his and Markus' grip, Hank felt his heart fracture…dangerously close to shattering into a thousand pieces. The sight of the blue blood seeping anew from the wounds, as Connor struggled and jarred the shrapnel, shook Hank to the core.

He'd seen a number of seizures during his time on the job, but this was something altogether different. Connor wasn't just another victim, or a work partner. Or even a friend. The android was his **son** _._ In _every sense_ of the word. Maybe, Hank realised grimly, that was why it was hurting him so deeply.

As the seizure drew out further, Hank managed to look towards Markus, who wore a similarly grim expression. It looked so incredibly strange on the other android, whose expression was normally one of happiness and hope. Just as the two of them were turning round to face the others, they felt Connor grow still beneath them.

The sudden lack of motion was oddly abrupt, startling both Hank and Markus.

Taking a deep breath, and bracing himself for what he might see, Hank looked back down at Connor- towards the androids' LED. The sight that greeted him almost brought Hank to his knees once again. The disc, lit only minutes ago by vibrant red, had gone dark once again. There wasn't a single trace of light coming from beneath the device attached to Connor's LED. With no light to give him hope, Hank struggled to keep breathing in and out- every second in dark silence one of intense agony.

With tears threatening to fall from his eyes, he looked up to face the others, whose faces all bore expressions of similar shock. Simon's, however, was the worst- guilt clearly written into the blonde androids' heart-breaking expression. Taking in the reactions of those around him, Hank steeled himself, before turning back to look at Connor, fixing his eyes on the androids' face.

"Connor?" Hank heard his voice threaten to break.

When several minutes ticked by with no change, no sign of hope from the still androids' LED, Hank let out a breath he didn't even realise he'd been holding. Removing his hands from Connor's body, he moved to hold the androids' face in his hands. As he took in just how cold the artificial skin felt underneath his hands, Hank felt a shiver run through him, moving jaggedly down his spine.

The startling lack of warmth was jarring, especially when combined with the oddly peaceful expression on Connor's face. After a moment taking in the tragic situation, Hank managed to bring himself to look back towards the others. Each of them looked equally downcast, though Markus bore the most distinct expression of sorrow out of all the other androids. Likely because, similar to Hank, he was covered in shimmering blue blood. Viscous, sapphire coloured liquid that glinted eerily from the artificial lights above.

"There's got to be something you can do." Hank spoke up eventually, grimacing as he heard his voice crack.

"He's shutdown, there's… _nothing_ we can-." Simon spoke up.

"When a human's heart stops, we get shocked. Can't you do that shit for Connor?" Hank interrupted. "Jumpstart his systems?"

"Can we do that?" North interjected, looking towards the others.

"It…may be possible." Markus frowned. "We've brought back other androids after they've shut down."

"This could be dangerous, Markus." Simon reasoned. "We've never done this before. An electrical shock-"

"Could give him enough power to-." Markus interrupted.

"It's too risky!" Simon countered. "The other androids we brought back hadn't been without power for more than a few seconds! Connor's been in full shutdown for five _minutes."_

"Simon-" Markus started.

"If we do this, it _could_ give Connor enough power to reboot. But the electrical surge could corrupt his systems. Or completely _fry them."_ Simon continued protesting.

"Corrupt? The fuck does that mean?" Hank spoke up.

"The electrical discharge could deactivate several of Connor's most vital systems." Simon explained.

"Like what?" Hank questioned.

"His memories." Simon answered. "Corrupting his systems could remove everything Connor has ever experienced. His time with Cyberlife, his time with the police."

"And everything he's done with me." Hank realised.

"It could be more severe than that." Simon continued.

"How the fuck could it get worse than that?" Hank scoffed.

"He could forget his purpose. His _function."_ Simon countered. "Connor could end up as nothing more than a shell. _He wouldn't even be a **machine**_!"

As the gravity of Simon's words finally sunk in, Hank looked back down at Connor, and exhaled slowly. He wasn't sure what was worse, the possibility of losing another son…or having Connor forget everything he'd ever known. After taking several deep breaths in an effort to retain what little remained of his nerves, Hank finally found the strength to look back towards the others.

"What's the chance he wakes up the same way he was before?" Hank questioned.

"The possibility of a complete reboot, without memory corruption, is…" Simon grimaced, as he inwardly calculated the odds. "Barely five percent."

"Fuck." Hank heard his voice break again. "Those are some shitty odds."

"They are." Simon spoke gently.

"What would you like us to do?" Markus asked quietly.

"You're asking me?" Hank was somewhat stunned.

"You're closer to Connor than any of us. If anyone deserves to make this decision for him, it's you." Simon smiled slightly.

Though the statement touched Hank, in a way a he'd likely never be able to properly express, he couldn't help but feel as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He alone would be deciding whether or not a five percent chance of a miracle was worth risking all of Connor's memories.

Taking a deep breath, as tears threatened to pool in his eyes, Hank grappled with the decision. He'd not felt so incredibly hopeless since…since the night Cole died. The decision of whether or not to bring Connor back was heartbreakingly similar to the moment Hank had to turn off Cole's life support.

As he struggled to hold back memories of that tumultuous night, one that still hung in the dark corners of his mind, Hank made his decision. Whilst he knew there was no way to bring back his boy when the Doctors had him turn off Cole's life support, there was a chance that Connor could come back. However slim that chance was, it was more than Hank had come to terms with in the final hours of Cole's short life.

And that alone made the decision _worth it_ , to him.

Connor would more than likely lose his memories. But Hank made the decision then and there not to let that stop him. He'd help the others put the android back together piece by piece. **However long it took.**

"Fuck it." Hank steeled himself. "Let's do it."

"Are you sure?" Markus asked quietly.

"I'm sure." Hank nodded.

"Alright." Markus smiled slightly.

"This is…" Simon's voice tailed off, as he shook his head- before visibly exhaling.

"Shouldn't we remove-" North started.

"The longer Connor goes without power…" Simon's voice tailed off.

"Right." North took a deep breath, though it was effectively useless.

When Simon moved closer, passing his tray of tools to Josh, Hank reluctantly stepped aside. Remaining close, he observed as the blonde android pulled what was left of Connor's shirt away from his chest. It was a delicate task, with parts having stuck to the intensive damage to the android's torso.

After carefully pulling the sapphire stained fabric away from the shrapnel, and patches of melted and damaged skin, Simon took a moment to focus. Once he'd nodded slightly to himself as a form of reassurance, he continued. After removing what was left of Connor's tie, and passing the ruined garments to Markus- who quickly discarded them in a metal container nearby- Simon placed his hands in the centre of Connor's chest.

"You may want to look away." Simon glanced towards Hank.

"What-" Hank started.

"To restart Connor's systems, I'm going to have to apply the shock directly to his thirium pump." Simon paused. "His heart. To do so, I'm going to have to open his chest cavity."

"Open the…" Hank took another deep breath. "Fuck. Ok."

"If you want to step outside, no one will blame you." Markus spoke tactfully.

"I'm _not_ leaving." Hank spoke firmly.

"Alright." Simon smiled slightly.

Turning back towards Connor, the blonde android pushed down. As a slight click resounded, the artificial skin began to peel away, until the entirety of Connor's upper body was exposed. Taking in the sight of the android, without the humanlike skin that normally covered his body, Hank found himself stunned. It may only have been Connor's chest and torso that were exposed, but it was nonetheless startling.

He'd seen the plastimetal before- when Markus gave his speech from the Stratford Tower, and when responding to attacks against other androids. But seeing it on Connor was…different. Almost alien. It was times like these that his partner's true nature hit him with full force. As much as the android was alive, in every sense of the word, he would never be completely human.

Shaking his head slightly, Hank continued observing, and watched as Simon lifted his hands up. When he did so, a large section of plastimetal shifted and turned, before parting in the center of Connor's chest...and turning slightly to the right. This left the whole of the android's chest cavity open, leaving the copious amounts of wires and components vulnerable and exposed. When he found himself focusing on the thirium pump, Hank was stunned into silence. The biocomponent wasn't too dissimilar in structure from a human heart, but vastly different all the same. Metallic, blue, and semi-transparent, it lay still.

And silent.

"Here, Simon." North came into view, passing a small machine to the blonde android.

"How'd you know how to do this?" Hank questioned.

"Before I became a deviant, I was a caretaker." Simon explained, as he examined the small machine in his hands. "Even after I became deviant, something in me still wanted to help. So, I've learned as much as I can."

As the blonde android pulled out two wires from the machine, a small and metallic circular part at the end, the room fell into silence. Noting the rising tension, Hank cautiously stepped backwards, though doing so took more effort than he could ever have imagined. He didn't want to move away from Connor, but he'd learned many times over the years that doctors needed their space, if they were going to save lives.

Watching silently with arms folded, and brow furrowed, he observed as Simon attached the ends of the wires to either side of Connor's thirium pump. After a few moments, the blonde android stepped back, before nodding slightly- as if to give himself some semblance of a confidence boost. The motion made Hank admire Simon more. It was hard enough for him, watching as the situation unfolded. He couldn't imagine how hard it was for the blonde android. He was operating on a friend- someone practically as close as a family member.

Bracing himself, Hank placed a hand on Simon's left shoulder for a moment- smiling slightly when the blonde android turned round. Seemingly encouraged by the motion, Simon smiled back, if ever so slightly. Once he'd turned back round, Hank removed his hand, and refocused all his attention on Connor.

"Start at twenty five percent." Simon instructed.

On command, North turned a small dial on the machine, pausing once she was done in order to check it was at the correct power level. After she was seemingly certain, she nodded- though the glisten in her eyes betrayed her inner fears. Acknowledging her, Simon took in a deep breath, likely trying to find some way to steady his nerves, like North had done. Wanting more than anything to step in, Hank struggled to stay away. He wanted to place a hand on the blonde androids' shoulder again, or hold Connor's face in his hands…but Hank knew he'd only be getting in the way.

And so, he was forced to watch, as Simon pressed a button on the machine, and a static sound echoed forth. It grated on Hank's eardrums, the sound powerful enough to make the other androids grimace and wince. As the sound reached an impossibly high pitch, Connor's body arched up off the gurney in automated response to the shock.

Barely able to breathe from the tension, Hank held his breath. When Connor merely slumped back down, LED remaining ominously dark, he cast his gaze downward. Though he didn't want to take his eyes off of the android, Hank was also bracing himself for the worst possible outcome. That Connor might not wake up. That he'd never open his eyes again.

After a few moments, Simon frowned, before turning back to North. The blonde androids' expression had become oddly calm, and almost unreadable- likely an attempt to regain control of his spiralling emotions. Allowing everyone a moment to recover from what they had just witnessed, he spoke up once more.

"Let's try fifty percent." Simon instructed.

"Got it." North exhaled slowly.

As the female android began turning the dial on the machine once more, Hank looked up- hearing footsteps approach. Tearing his gaze from the ground, he saw that Markus had come to stand beside him. Making sure to stay out of Simon's way, the normally stoic leader had placed a comforting hand on Hank's shoulder.

Appreciating the gesture more than he could say, Hank contented himself with offering a small smile to Markus- one the android readily returned. After sharing a small, silent moment-as two friends comforting one another in the midst of a dire situation- they returned their focus to Connor.

After the second shock, Connor's body once again arched up off the gurney. The forced motion looked painful, and eerily inhuman. Several minutes passed in silence afterward, the tension in the room growing almost stifling, before Connor's body eventually slumped back down. Once again, he lay lifeless, and appeared as dead to the world as before.

"Take it up to seventy-five percent." Simon spoke quietly.

Not even speaking a word, with unshed tears shining in her eyes, North obeyed. Once she'd turned the dial round again, she shook her head slightly, before offering a small smile of encouragement in Hank's direction. Barely able to tear his eyes away from the scene before him, Hank only managed to nod slightly, now completely enthralled with the task of bringing his second son back to life.

A task that, again, proved fruitless, when Connor failed once more to respond to the harsh shock.

"Simon?" North pursued, after a few seconds of silence. "Should we try one hundred?"

"It's…" Simon ran his hands down his face for a moment, before returning them to resting near Connor's thirium pump. "One hundred."

With a grim expression now setting in, North turned the dial for the final time, almost grimacing as an audible hum of electricity filled the room. Also noticing the noise, Simon seemingly braced himself, before pressing the fateful button on the machine once again. After a near ear-splitting screech, the machine jolted Connor again- and the android's body arched off the table again, in response.

When Connor's body froze for a moment, before finally slouching back down, Hank cautiously approached the table. Just as he was placing his hands on the android's face, bracing himself for another monumental loss, he caught a faint glimmer of red in the corner of his eyes.

Turning, he saw Connor's LED steadily pulsing red, beneath the device attached to it. Barely able to believe what he was seeing, Hank almost did a double take, focusing intently on the small disc. When it continued to pulse red, he let out another breath, the sheer relief enough to make him stumble. Readily accepting Markus' help, Hank managed to stand back up, a grin working his way onto his face. Once he'd allowed himself a moment to breathe, Hank stepped away, a small nod indicating to the other android that he was able to stand on his own two feet. However unsteady.

"The device is…working." Simon placed a hand over Connor's LED. "I...I can't believe that worked."

"You did it, Simon." Markus took one of Simon's hands in his, leaning against the blonde android.

"It's…" Josh was at a loss for words.

"It's only half the fight." North butted in.

"North…" Markus warned.

"I'm happy that Connor's systems are back online." North countered. "But the Connor we know probably won't be the one that wakes up."

"Can't we just-" Simon glanced at Hank.

"She's right." Hank interrupted. "Connor…might not be who he was when he…"

Taking a deep breath, Hank crossed his arms, trying desperately to regain control over his emotions. It proved difficult. On one hand, he was overjoyed that Connor had miraculously been brought back to life. On the other, there was the palpable fear that it wouldn't be his son waking up- but a completely different person altogether.

After all the near misses they'd had in the past half hour, Hank didn't want to dare hope that Connor would remain the same. His chances were barely five percent, after all. Everything the android had ever experienced would, more than likely, be erased. He wouldn't know who any of them were.

Or that they'd spent the past few minutes trying to save his life.

"I'm sorry…" North interrupted Hank's thoughts.

"Don't…worry about it." Hank cleared his throat. "How long until he wakes up?"

"A full system reboot takes around four to six hours." Simon explained.

"Four to six…" Hank ran his hands down his face. "Fuck. That's too long."

"I'm sorry. I wish I could do more." Simon looked guilty once again.

"No, you saved…" Hank took a deep breath. "You saved his life. Should be thanking you."

"You can thank me if…" Simon considered his words carefully. "If Connor returns."

As the room fell into an awkward silence, Hank turned back, to look down at Connor. Hands still shaking from the intensity of the past half hour, he placed the palm of his left hand over the android's LED. Satisfied by the small hum he could feel, Hank let his hand remain there for a few moments, before slowly retracting it. Forcing himself to focus on Connor's face instead of his open chest cavity, he glanced back towards Simon. The blonde android looked physically and mentally exhausted, and it seemed as if he were only remaining upright due to Markus standing closely at his side. Hating that he had to ask for Simon's help once again, Hank reluctantly spoke up.

"Shouldn't we remove all this before he wakes up?" Hank gestured to the shrapnel.

"Of course." Simon ran his free hand through his hair, blue blood soon intermingled with the blonde locks.

"Let me, Simon." Markus spoke quietly.

"Markus…" Simon sighed, love clearly shining in his eyes. "I can do this."

"We can help." North darted forward.

As she carefully began detaching the wire from Connor's now steadily beating thirium pump, North smiled slightly towards Hank- a wordless gesture that spoke volumes of her character growth. With a grace and tenderness he'd never seen on the female android before, Hank watched as she slid the exposed chest plates back into place. As the artificial skin began to return to Connor's torso, along with the familiar strands of deep brown hair, North moved the revival machine away- disappearing from Hank's line of sight.

Almost as soon as she'd gone, Josh appeared, carrying a new tray of tools. Placing them on a nearby table, he nodded in Simon's direction.

As the blonde android approached, with Markus at his side, Hank summoned the strength to move away, remaining at a respectable distance. When he took in the sheer level of damage to Connor's body, exposed in full glory by the artificial lights that almost burned in their bright intensity, he felt another shiver run through him. Just as he was about to offer his assistance, Hank felt a hand on his shoulder.

Turning, he saw Josh. The android wore a warm smile on his face, despite the tired sadness reflected in his eyes. As he escorted him out of the room, and away from Connor, Hank found himself slightly confused- stopping the two of them the second they left the room- his reaction slightly delayed by the steadily growing headache.

"You should get cleaned up." Josh spoke calmly, before Hank could question him.

"I'm not leaving-" Hank started.

"When Connor wakes up…" Josh paused for a moment, before continuing. "Whether he is himself or not, he deserves-"

"Ok." Hank dragged his hands down his face, inadvertently interrupting. "Fuck. Didn't mean to-"

"We've all been through a lot tonight." Josh smiled slightly. "You, more than anyone else. I won't hold that against you."

"Appreciate it." Hank nodded slightly, letting his arms drop to his sides. "Think I've got spare clothes in the trunk."

"I'll come with-" Josh started.

"No." Hank grimaced at the harsh tone to his voice, and took a deep breath before continuing. "I just…need a moment."

"Of course." Josh smiled sadly, instantly understanding. "I'll go and find a medic android-""What for-" Hank started.

"I may not have the same software as Connor, but I know the signs of a mild concussion when I see one." Josh explained, tactfully interrupting. "We have some androids here who are stationed at-"

"I don't need-"

"You do. If you won't accept help for yourself, then do it for Connor."

"Laying it on thick with the guilt trip."

"He'll need all of us when he wakes up."

"I know. It's just been…" Hank took a deep breath. "Hell of a night."

"And it…isn't over yet. We need you- Connor needs you-"

"I get it. Do I get a moment-"

"Of course." Josh interrupted, before slowly backing away.

Realising how blunt he'd sounded, Hank pushed past the growing ache in his head, and spoke up- just before Josh moved out of earshot.

"Didn't mean to-" he started.

"There's no need to apologise." Josh turned back for a moment, to respond. "Like you said, Lieutenant. Been a hell of a night."

"You're Connor's friend. Fuck, you helped save his life."

"That was Simon-"

"You were there. That counts."

"…thank you, Lieu-"

"Think we've dealt with enough bullshit for you to forget the title."

"…thank you…Hank."

"Don't mention it."

When Josh smiled at him, before turning back around and gradually going out of sight, Hank felt a slight smile creeping onto his own face, despite everything.

One that instantly fell back again, when he glanced back towards the room Connor had fucking _died_ in- closed doors streaked with thirium. As that realisation finally hit him with full force, breaking through the adrenaline that had gotten him through the past few hours of fucking _hell,_ Hank backed up. The second his back touched the wall, he slid down, until he sat down on the ground- and leaned his head back. With the last of the adrenaline fading away, the pounding ache in his head surged forward with full force, bringing with it a wave of dizzying nausea that almost had him bent over, like he'd drunk his way through another bottle of whiskey. An ache that he'd not dealt with since he stopped drinking himself to death.

Closing his eyes, Hank forced himself to focus. It wasn't easy. He was exhausted after being woken up in the middle of the night, having Connor bleed (strange as that sounded to him) out _in his arms_ , and from being thrown against a fucking **wall** with enough force to momentarily _knock him out_.

But he somehow managed to get back to himself- by reminding himself that Connor needed him.

That his _son_ needed him.

So, with a deep breath to force back the bile threatening to make its way up his throat, Hank gradually pulled himself up- not risking opening his eyes until he was fully upright. Until he was sure both feet were firmly on the ground. Being upright instantly made the headache worse, the pain easily surpassing any of his worst hangovers, telling him that this was going to be one hell of a concussion.

But he pushed through it, for Connor…

 _And took one shaking step forward._

* * *

 **I know this is technically another cliffhanger (and that won't even be the last cliffhanger in this series) But I wanted to end it here. The ending just seemed to kind of…knit together, if that makes sense.**

It's also 3 am, I'm fucking tired, and I don't want to burn out, as I'm also working on Love in Literature.

 _It won't be 19 months before the next update- I can promise you all that much._

Again, I am so sorry about how long this took. And that I've left you with another (semi) cliffhanger.

 **Please don't kill me.**


End file.
